Matt Watson is the opinion editor at The Reflector. He can be contacted at [email protected]. Lazarus Austin’s opinion piece (“Miss. immigration bill makes sense”) published in Friday’s issue of The Reflector oversimplified a very complex issue and contained illogical talking points. Austin supports a very rigid idea of how to deal with illegal immigration in the state, an idea that includes cutting off practically all public assistance to undocumented immigrants so that “taxpaying citizens” won’t suffer. However, Austin falls to many misconceptions.
His comparison of the choices faced by drug addicts with no money to pay rent and the choices faced by Hispanics who want to come to the United States for jobs is ludicrous.
“That’s how life works; it’s all about choices and taking responsibility for those choices,” Austin said.
Surely, he would agree there is a large difference between the responsibility of drug addicts who contribute money to dealers and hard-working immigrants who contribute millions of dollars in taxes to the state and constitute a cheap labor force. I will agree there are ethical questions about our dependence on this cheap labor force, but to say these immigrants are irresponsible is irresponsible itself.
Another specific comment I feel compelled to respond to is Austin’s conclusion that he’d probably rather be an illegal immigrant than a “bonafide citizen.” With all respect, this is downright laughable. Would Austin really want to work a blue-collar job to feed a family, pay taxes and live below the radar? I doubt it.
Austin’s constant mention of “taxpaying citizens” seems to imply that undocumented immigrants do not pay taxes. This is not true.
I would refer Austin and other readers to a feature story headlined “Immigration: Myth vs. Reality” in the Feb. 20 issue of The Jackson Free Press. Among other things, the story highlights Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant’s famous 2006 report on the impact of illegal immigration in Mississippi. Even that report, used as a campaign tool by Bryant and other Republicans in the state, estimated that illegal immigrants pay $44.2 million through income and sales taxes. And that figure is probably understating the actual amount illegal immigrants contribute.
Austin also implies that illegal immigrants are eligible for the same services for which citizens are eligible. However, as The Jackson Free Press points out in its article, this is not always the case.
For instance, only 40 illegal immigrants in Mississippi applied for food stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families over the past four years.
Contrary to Austin’s arguments, illegal immigrants do not receive “free health-care.” I don’t even know many American citizens who fall into that boat.
Although Bryant estimated that $35 million was spent on illegal immigrants’ health-care in 2002, this figure is simply a politically influenced interpolation made by looking at the percentage of illegal immigrants with no health insurance. The $35 million figure has no real basis, as with so many other statistics on illegal immigration, unfortunately.
I do agree with Austin that anti-illegal immigration laws aren’t racist. However, they are supported by citizens who are misinformed by politicians who push anti-illegal immigration bills through our legislature with partisan goals in mind.
When we’re dealing with the issue of illegal immigration, we have to acknowledge more than what illegal immigrants cost the state. We must realize that they impact our economy in several ways. There are advantages and disadvantages, but passing bills to make things harder for businesses is only an illusion of a solution.